


By Any Other Name

by ReverseMousetrap



Series: After The Gold Rush [7]
Category: Borderlands (Video Games)
Genre: M/M, Post-Canon, Valentine's Day Fluff, epilogue to the epilogue, gayperion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-14
Updated: 2019-02-14
Packaged: 2019-10-28 04:07:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17780282
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReverseMousetrap/pseuds/ReverseMousetrap
Summary: Rhys gives a Valentine's Day present to Vaughn, but he hasn't considered the implications.





	By Any Other Name

**Author's Note:**

> Hi!! It's Valentine's Day and I'm feeling fluffy. So much that I wrote another part to a series that had a perfectly good ending. Oh goodness why.

Rhys had been trying to keep quiet, padding around the kitchen on his toes, but when the soapy mixing bowl slipped back into the sink onto a pile of cutlery he knew there was no way Vaughn hadn’t heard.

“It’s just me,” he called out, automatically sounding guilty. It had been a late night. Hauling himself out of bed had only been possible through a monumental effort of willpower.

“You okay?” Vaughn’s sleepy voice drifted through the house.

“I'll be there in a sec. Don't get up!”

He nudged the fridge door closed with his foot and set the mug of coffee - skim milk, no sugar - onto the tray next to the pancakes, weaving around the furniture and the discarded work clothes until he was back in the bedroom. Vaughn propped himself up on both elbows, a lazy smile crossing his face at the sight of the breakfast laid across his lap.

“When was the last time you got up before me?” he asked as Rhys came to sit by him.

“You're welcome,” Rhys said huffily, but he planted a kiss on his boyfriend's temple nonetheless. He tore a piece from the pancake at the top of the stack and nibbled at the rough edge. They still weren't as good as Vaughn's, but they were getting closer with every attempt, and the two of them ate in a satisfied, companionable silence.

The morning sun was filtering through the gap in the blinds, rapidly warming the room, but they stayed where they were with the blankets draped over their legs. Vaughn put the tray aside and picked up the coffee. “I’m almost afraid to ask if there's an occasion. Seems like I've forgotten something,” he said, holding the steaming mug between both hands as he leaned on Rhys’ shoulder.

“I was looking at the synchronised calendar this week and I found out that today's Valentine's Day,” explained Rhys. “Well, technically it starts in four hours, but no harm getting started early, right?”

“Wait. Are you _serious,_ bro?” Vaughn seemed genuinely concerned for his sanity. “I mean, this is really, really nice, don't get me wrong, but…nobody outside the Edens celebrates that.”

“I think it's sweet,” said Rhys, trying not to sound defensive and failing. “Look, just because we live on Pandora doesn't mean we have to act local _all_ the time.”

“Maybe we could pick an intergalactic custom that doesn't bring back excruciating memories.” He sat up stiffly and took a long sip of his coffee, refusing to elaborate.

Rhys tried to look appropriately chastised before glancing up through his eyelashes. “So does that mean you don't want to know what I got you?”

Vaughn groaned. “Fine, just don't expect flowers. They don't grow around here.”

He bounced off the bed in excitement and dug through his side of the sock drawer, pulling out an old faded favourite pair that were black with red chili peppers. Under Vaughn’s questioning gaze he squeezed them both down to the toes until he found what he was looking for. Something small and heavy dropped into the palm of his cybernetic hand, and he wrapped his fingers around it before a now-curious Vaughn could see.

“Close your eyes,” said Rhys, and the other man obliged.

“I’m guessing it's not fancy lingerie,” said Vaughn. “Or is that just for birthdays?”

“Stop talking and hold out your hand.”

Even though his eyes were closed, Rhys could tell he was rolling them. All the same, Vaughn reached out and Rhys cupped the offered hand with his left, dropping the tiny metal object into his palm.

“You can look now.”

Vaughn opened his eyes, and a moment later they went wide.

“Rhys,” he whispered.

He held the ring up to the light, a dark grey piece of smooth metal shot through with a vein of eridium.

“Rhys, is this…?”

“I found it in an Atlas lab,” Rhys said quickly. “Finally had it checked out by R&D. It’s totally safe. Unless you're a siren, but I'm pretty sure you're not.”

Vaughn's continued silence was making him uncomfortable.

 _“Are_ you a siren, bro?” He laughed awkwardly.

“This is a ring,” said Vaughn.

“If it doesn't fit you could always wear it on a chain,” Rhys continued. “I mean, you don't have to if you don't like it, but -”

“You got me a ring for Valentine's Day.” Vaughn's voice sounded faint. He put the empty coffee mug down on the tray slowly as if in a daze. “Can you excuse me for a second?”

Rhys watched him drift out of the bedroom, and only then did something important and obvious occur to him. He scrambled to his feet.

“Vaughn? Vaughn, wait - I can explain -”

His boyfriend reappeared in the doorway, his jaw set and a fresh look of determination in his eyes.

“It doesn't have to mean anything you don't want it to,” pleaded Rhys, his arms wide in supplication. “It’s been kind of a lucky charm for me, and I just thought, you know, I've never been this close to _anyone,_ and it felt right to give it to you instead of keeping it…”

Vaughn silenced him with a long, lingering kiss.

“I want to show you something.”

He held up his hand. Next to the first ring was a simple silver band, imperfect but solid.

“I made this when...when we were rebuilding. Scrap metal from Helios.” Rhys was about to interrupt, but the look in Vaughn’s eyes stopped him. “I don’t know why. A reminder, I guess. Damn thing didn’t even fit. Go figure.”

“Can I try it?” whispered Rhys. Vaughn nodded, solemnly taking his slim left hand and sliding the ring onto his fourth finger, where it fit like a tailored suit.

“I guess that’s why,” Vaughn said hoarsely. The sunlight caught the eridium on the Atlas ring as he slipped it onto his own hand, making it glow an ethereal purple.

Rhys let out a quiet exhale. “So this means…”

Vaughn’s arms wrapped around his waist, pulling him close. “Whatever you want it to mean.”

He tried to ignore the way his eyes were beginning to water, but it was too late. “Yeah,” he said, burying his face in the other man's shoulder, breathing him in. “That sounds good to me.”


End file.
